| Name |
Samuel Lee |
| Suffix |
(immigrant) |
| Birth |
16 Feb 1816 |
Ringkobing, Jutland, Denmark  [1] |
 |
Lee, Samuel
document provided to me by Sam Beaumont, grandson of Samuel Lee, 3/20/2016.
(snip) "magazine published by the Danish Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa, where I found a listing for Danes in America (Danske i America). Looked up the on line version and found a Lee, immigrated in 1828, birth place listed, US residence (Jefferson, Texas), occupation (rancher) and then a puzzling notation "aka Sorensen".
The family story is that Grandpa Lee was a cabin boy and jumped ship in Philadelphia at the age of 12. With his birth date of 1816, arrival in 1828 fits, as do Jefferson, Texas, and his occupation. The "aka
Sorensen" has me stumped as that's never come up in my recollection.
I've sent an email to the Danish Museum for guidance to track down some additional info. Attached the pertinent info. from Danske i Amerika."
response from danishmuseum to Sam:
(snip) "Attached is my translation of the paragraph in Danske i Amerika discussing your ancestor (I don’t think there’s any doubt about it being him). So, as you can see, he was reportedly born near the town of Ringkøbing in western Jutland and was originally named Sørensen. (While ‘Samuel’ could be his original given name, ‘Lee’ certainly wasn’t, and most Danes of his era had patronymics ending in –sen as surnames)."
(snip)
"Possibly Samuel adapted his first name from ‘Sørensen,’ but that’s just a possibility. Seamen from this era are particularly difficult to locate and in Sam’s case, with a birth year of 1818 +/- and an arrival date of 1829 +/-, he would never have been enumerated in a Danish census since the first one taken after his birth was in 1834"
|
| Gender |
Male |
| Immigration |
1829 |
Denmark |
| naturalized |
| Census |
1850 |
Sabine Pass, Jefferson Co, Texas |
- 1850 Christian Hildebrandt
Christian Hildebrandt 57 $3080 Europe
Eurasue 50 Louisiana
Christian E. 18 Louisiana stock raiser
Alzena 17 Texas
Lastie 14 Texas
Robert 12 Texas
Samuel Lee 27 laborer Europe
|
| Census |
12 Jul 1860 |
Sabine Pass (Precinct 5), Jefferson Co, Texas |
- 12 Jul 1860 Precinct No. 5 Sabine Pass
residence 378
James Court 30 mail carrier 500 Louisiana
Julia 24 TN 1856 Tennessee
Mary E 8 1852 Texas
Henry C 6 1854 Texas
Julia A 4 1856 Texas
William F 2 1858 Texas
Elias M 6/12 1859 Texas
residence 379
John Sparks 49 1811 North Carolina farmer 320 2100
Malinda Sparks 41 1819 Tennessee
Albert Sparks 19 1841 Texas
John F Sparks 14 1856 Texas
Sarah C Sparks 11 1849 Texas
Arabella H Sparks 8 1852 Texas
James C Sparks 6 1854 Texas
Worthey C Sparks 4 1856 Texas
Henry E L Sparks 8/12 1859 Texas
residence 380
Samuel Lee 38 1822 Denmark stock raiser 4,000
Eliza 16 1844 Texas
|
 |
1860 Texas, Jefferson County, Sabine Pass census
James and Julia Sparks Court family; John and Melinda Jones Sparks family; and Samuel and Eliza Sparks Lee. |
| Census |
23 Jun 1870 |
Sparks and River Settlement, Jefferson Co, Texas |
- Residence 77
Coats (Courts) J.M. 40 1830 Louisiana 400, 2,000 farmer
Julia 34 1836 Tennessee
Mary 18 1852 Texas
Clifton 16 1854 Texas
Nasthentha 14 1856 Texas
William 12 1858 Texas
Madison E. 10 1860 Texas
ekner 8 1862 Texas
James 5 1865 Texas
Anna 3 1867 Texas
Lisa 8 1862 Texas
residence 78
Sparks M (Melinda) 51 1819 at home Tennessee widow
James 17 1853 Texas farm laborer
Worthy 14 1856 Texas
John 27 1843 Texas farmer
residence 79
Spark, C (Caroline) 50 1820 SC keeping house widow
Edwin 23 1847 Louisiana
Joseph 16 1854 Texas
Oscar 14 Texas
Court T.J. 27 1843 Texas (Thomas Jefferson - bro of James Court)
residence 80
Brewton W.P. 33 1837 Tennessee
Sarah (Sparks) 22 1848 Texas (Dau of Melinda)
Grace 5 1865 TX
Silas F. 8/12 1869 TX
residence 81
Lee, Samuel 52 1818 farmer 1580 Denmark
Jane E. 27 1843 Texas
Emma 3 1867 Texas
residence 82
Smith. T.J. 34 farmer 500 Indiana (Later would marry Mary Ellen Courts
Sarah 25 Texas
Electra 3/12 Texas
|
 |
1870, Texas, Jefferson County, Sparks Settlement census
|
| Census |
7 Jun 1880 |
Taylor Bayou, Labelle, (District 41), Jefferson Co, Texas |
- Note: It appears the first page is the Sparks Settlement. And the 2nd page seems to be the Port Neches, Grisgsby Bluff area, a few miles north.
7 Jun 1880 District 41 Justice Precinct No. 2
Page 1
residence 1
Gentz Fred 35 Dec 1845 laborer Prussia Prussia Prussia
R. Belle 28 Aug 1852 TX NC TN
Welby 8 Jun 1872 TX NC TX
H.M. 7 Feb 1873 TX NC TX
M.J. dau 6 1874 TX
J.W. son 4 1876 TX
Buler 2 dau May 1878 TX
J. Lee 4/12 son Jan 1880 TX
Charlotte 77 mother widow Prussia NC TX
(census taker just carried the NC down the columns.
Only person from NC is Belle's father.
residence 2
Lee, Samuel 62 farmer Denmark Denmark Denmark
E. Jane 36 Oct TX NC TN
Emma A. 12 Jul 1868 TX
Hayes, Eliza Black 19 Jan 1861 servant Texas Texas Alabama
Eddy, Albert 37 Jul 1843 carpenter Ireland Ireland Ireland
Sparks, William E. 27 Mar 1853 TX
residence 3
Melinda Sparks 61 Mar 1819 TN VA TN
Worthy 24 Mar 1856 TX NC TN
James 26 son Dec 1854 TX NC TN
Ella 23 Nov 1857 dau-in-law TX TN PA
Thomas George, Black 8 1872 servant TX
residence 4
Sparks, Caroline 60 May 1820 self widow SC VA SC
Sparks, J.M. 26 Aug 1854 son TX
residence 5
Kilgore, James S 28 1852 Mar Michigan Michigan Michigan
Elizabeth 50 Oct 1830 mother wid Michigan Michigan --
Columbus 28 25 May 1855 brother Texas Michigan Michigan
Susan F. 20 Feb 1860 sister Texas Michigan Michigan
Eugenia 17 Jun 1863 sister Texas Michigan Michigan
Swift, Fuller 3 May 1877 nephew Texas Michigan Michigan
Swift, Ida 3/12 Feb 1880 niece Texas Michigan Michigan
residence 6
Brewton, W.P. 47 Aug 1833
Sarah C. (Sparks) 30 Dec 1850
Grace 15 Feb 1865 TX
Silas F. 10 Oct 1870 TX
Esther 8 Dec 1872 TX
Almond 6 Apr 1874 TX
Inas 3 dau Aug 1877 TX
John Smith 14 June 1866 TX TN PA
residence 7
Gray, H.L. 33 head Sep 1847 Michigan VA MI
Gray, S.E. 33 wife Aug 1847 LA PA Indiana
Carey, Coy 11 son May 1873 TX Indiana Louisiana
Clara 7 dau Mar 1873 TX Indiana Louisiana
Gray H.E. son 9 Sep 1871 TX MI TX
Smith, T.F. 21 Apr 1859 TX TN PA
Courts, E.M. 20 1860 TX unk TX
___________
page 2
8 Jun 1880
residence 8
Yantz (Gentz), Wm Apr 42 1838 farmer Prussia Prussia Prussia
Susan 31 Jan 1849 wife TX GA LA
Leuvinia 12 Jan 1868 dau
William Y. 10 Jan 1870 son
H.L. 6 mos Nov 1879 son
residence 9
J. T. Rogers 28 Aug 1852 TX TN TX
Izzie J. Rogers 27 Aug 1853 TX NY LA
C. O. Rogers 3 Dec 1877
Wm. A. Rogers 1 Sep 1879
Levina Keith 68 Feb 1812 mother-in-law tx ga tn
residence 10
Keith, O 39 Feb 1841 Self TX OH LA
Margaret 39 Jun 1841 TX TN TN
George 7 Jun 1873 son LA TX TN
William O. 5 Mar 1875 son
Berry, Lethean female 11 Jan 1869 servant TX Prussia Prussia
|
 |
1880, Texas, Jefferson County, District 41
Gentz, Fred and family, with Charlotte Gentz; Samuel Lee and family, Melinda Jones Sparks, and family; Brewton, Smith, Gray, Emmett Courts.
|
| Census |
12 Jun 1900 |
Port Arthur (Precinct 2), Jefferson Co, Texas |
- residence 247
Lee, Samuel Feb 1818 82 m 40 yrs 1860 Denmark Denmark Denmark immigrated 1829
Jane Oct 1843 56 TX NC TN (Sparks)
residence 248
Keith, G.A. TX TX TX
Matilda (Block) wife Feb 1877 23 m 6 yrs, 4 children 4 living TX
Germany Louisiana
Florence T dau Aug 1894 6 TX
William P.J. border Jan 1880 20 MS MS MS
Berry W. C. boarder Jan 1884 16 Iowa Iowa Iowa
Arend son Feb 1895 5 TX
Maggie dau June 1893 6 TX
Alfred son May 1899 1 TX
Residence 249
Beaumont, John C Sep 1859 40 m 15 yrs TX PA Germany
Emma A (Lee) Jul 1868 31 5 children 5 living TX Denmark TX
Walter L Nov 1885 14
Forrest P Feb 1888 12
Goldie B Mar 1890 10
Ruby Mar 1892 8 (son)
Harry S Mar 1895 4
residence 250
Gentz William - age 30, m 9 years, 1891 TX Germany TX
Matilda - age 30, m 9 years, 4 children 3 living TX Germany LA
Edward - son age 7 (1893)
Hale - son age 5 (1895)
Oliver - son age 2 (1897)
Ida M - sister age 15 (1884)
residence 251
Keith, Maggie head Jun 1842 52 widowed TN TN TN
Keith, Oliver W. son May 1875 25 single TX TX TN
Rogers, Oliver R. nephew Dec 1876 23 single TX TX TX
Rogers, Arthur, nephew Sep 1878 21 single TX TX TX
Pevoto, Everett, Boarder Oct 1877 22 single
|
 |
1900 Texas, Jefferson, Precinct 2, Port Arthur and Sabine towns, Census
Lee, Samuel & Jane; Keith, GA and Matilda Block; Beaumont, John C & Emma Lee; Gentz, William George & Matilda Kline; Margaret Rogers Keith (wid of Oliver) - and families. |
| Death |
17 Feb 1910 |
Port Neches, Jefferson Co, Texas |
| Other-Begin |
22 Mar 1936 |
Port Arthur News, Port Arthur, Jefferson Co, Texas |
 |
Mrs. Jack C. Beaumont Recalls Early School Days When She Was One of First Five Port Arthur Pupils
Port Arthur News
Sunday, March 22, 1936
Mentioned in article and linked to:
Emma Lee, husband Jack Beaumont, daughter Pearl Beaumont
Fred Gentz and wife Bell Sparks, children Welby Gentz and Helen Gentz and husband M.E. (Mathew Edmond) Nobles
John Sidney Sparks and wife Melinda Jones; their sons: Albert, Frank, William, Thomas, James, Worth, Henry; daughters: Julia, Sarah and husband Frank Brewton and heir children Grace and Frank, Eliza Jane and husband Samuel Lee (parents of Emma Lee); Belle and husband Fred Gentz
|
| Burial |
Greenlawn Memorial Park, Groves, Jefferson Co, Texas |
 |
Greenlawn Memorial Park - Sparks, Eliza Jane Lee and Samuel Lee
|
 |
Greenlawn Memorial Park
3900 Twin City Hwy
Groves, Texas |
| Notes |
- (see note Christian Espar Hillebrandt: abt 1851, in company with Samuel Lee, now living below Nederland, made a visit to Denmark to see his father's people. Mr. Lee is a native of that country and made a visit to his home people."
-----------------
A colorful visitor in the John Sparks household was Samuel Lee, sea captain. His life had been eventful. He was born in Denmark, and after serving his apprenticeship on a sailing vessel he came to the United States, landing at New Orleans. Thence he shipped to Texas, and he liked Jefferson County so well that he remained. He took up a claim on Hillebrandt's Bayou, where he lived until he married Eliza Sparks, June 14, 1860, the ceremony being performed by George W. O'Brien, Beaumont justice of the peace. Then he built a house near the site which John Warne Gates later selected for his mansion. Jim Sparks, the next of the family to marry, brought his bride from Beaumont to another house on the lake shore. Julia Ann Sparks married Jim Courts, and another home was added to the settlement.
http://www.oldandsold.com/articles11/port-arthur-4.shtml
----
On a day in 1881, Sam Lee mounted his horse and rode over to the Page home in Sabine Pass to ask Miss Mary Page if she would be willing to come to the settlement and start a school. Miss Page described his visit when she later wrote:
I was very young when Sam Lee came down to Sabine Pass and wanted me to come to Aurora and teach his daughter, Emma. But I'd had advantages the children there didn't have. We had a free school in Sabine Pass for children under 14 and after that we had to pay, but we could continue our studies that way. My father said I was too young to go away from home to teach, but my mother said, "You go," and I went. Beginning in 1881 I taught nearly three years in Aurora and was then called home when mother hurt her wrist in a fall and needed me to help her.
Although Miss Page was employed primarily to teach Emm Lee, she was permitted to take other children in her school, which was a room in the Lee home. She visited her parents at week ends and during vacations, making the trip down the Lake in a rowboat equipped with a mast and sail. It is recorded that when an offshore wind prevented her landing on a return voyage, Fred Gentz picked her up out of the boat and carried her ashore.
Mrs. Jack Beaumont of Kountze, Tex., the former Emma Lee, recalled that Miss Page wore "a very pretty poke bonnet trimmed with a number of artificial roses."
http://www.oldandsold.com/articles11/port-arthur-4.shtml
-------
Captain of sailing vessel and decided to give up world travels to live on shore of lake Sabine. Later moved to a 700-acre place in Grigsby's Bluff (now Groves, Texas), along with Emma and her husband John Beaumont.
(reference ?)
-----------------
6/23/1870 Census, lived in Sparks & River Settlement.
During 1880 census, he lists also Elizabeth Hayes, black, age 19; a servant, Eddie Albert, white, age 37, servant, carpenter; and William E. Sparks, age 27 (Apr), a laborer born in Texas.
|
| Person ID |
I415 |
Roots |
| Last Modified |
21 Mar 2016 |
1816 - 1910 (94 years)
